Manufacturing mergers, acquisitions, investments weekend recap

Mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships continue to boom in the medical device manufacturing industry. Companies continue to look at how they can add to their portfolios and diversify their offerings – especially important to have resilience in uncertain times. Below are some recent M&As that have taken place.

AMETEK Inc. acquired Kern Microtechnik, a leading manufacturer of high-precision machining and optical inspection solutions.

Kern specializes in the design and manufacture of ultra-precision manufacturing solutions capable of achieving sub-micron level accuracy. Kern's advanced product portfolio includes high-precision machining solutions and optical tool inspection systems. Their highly engineered solutions support a wide range of applications that demand exceptional precision, including within the medical, semiconductor, research, and space markets.

"We are excited to welcome the Kern Microtechnik family to AMETEK," says David A. Zapico, AMETEK chairman and CEO. "Kern is an outstanding strategic fit with our Ultra Precision Technologies division, providing attractive technology, market and geographic expansion synergies. We look forward to leveraging our respective design and engineering capabilities to further advance our precision manufacturing capabilities." 

Medical Manufacturing Technologies (MMT), a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management and a leading global provider of medical device manufacturing solutions, acquired GenX Medical, a U.S.-based supplier widely recognized for superior quality tubing and custom extrusions within the medical device industry.
Founded in 2015, GenX Medical has an established reputation built upon delivering exceptional quality in micro-bore tubing, bioresorbable extrusions, and complex custom solutions. Their commitment to excellence and rapid prototyping aligns seamlessly with MMT’s mission to drive advancements in medical device manufacturing processes. By integrating GenX Medical’s expertise and knowledge, MMT is poised to elevate its manufacturing equipment and applications.
“We are thrilled to add GenX Medical to our manufacturing services platform and proud to welcome a talented team of committed manufacturing experts. Together, we will continue to deliver exceptional products and services that drive innovation in our industry,” comments Robbie Atkinson, CEO of MMT. “This acquisition underscores our commitment to advancing medical device manufacturing innovations and allows us to further provide efficient and cost-effective solutions to customers worldwide.”
Tyler Ware, president and owner of GenX Medical, expressed strong enthusiasm about partnering with MMT, the industry leader in medical device manufacturing equipment and processes. “We are excited to join forces with MMT,” he stated. “By leveraging our combined strengths and capabilities, we aim to deliver cutting-edge solutions that will benefit our customers, drive further successes in manufacturing and positively impact patients worldwide.”
Ware will take on the role of technical director, where he’ll serve as an essential member of MMT’s Technical Leadership Team.

Pritzker Private Capital signed a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in  Americhem, a family-owned manufacturer of custom color masterbatch, performance additive and engineered compound solutions. PPC will invest alongside members of the Juve family and management to provide Americhem with additional financial resources and expertise to accelerate growth, innovation, and expansion across its end markets.

Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Americhem develops and manufactures color masterbatch and custom compound solutions that are necessary for the durability, quality and aesthetic of essential end products across a variety of markets including healthcare, fiber, transportation and building products. The company’s innovative products ensure consistent color and UV protection for plastic products and fabrics, durability and weatherability for building materials and color and critical performance for medical devices, among other high-performance use cases.

Americhem has a diversified, long-term base of more than 1,500 customers globally and is uniquely positioned to benefit from secular tailwinds across large and attractive end markets. The company operates 10 manufacturing plants with approximately 1,000 employees and sales offices located throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Americhem’s current leadership team will continue to guide the company, and Americhem Chairman, Rick Juve, will continue as a committed owner and steward on the Board of Directors post-closing.

“We have long admired Americhem for its track record of success and its essential role in the value chain across its end markets. We were delighted when Rick approached us to explore a partnership,” says Kaitlyn Desai, principal at Pritzker Private Capital. “We are very familiar with this sector and see many opportunities to build on Americhem’s strong foundation, accelerate growth and achieve sustained success together. The entire Americhem team has built an impressive business and we look forward to our exciting next chapter of partnership.”

“PPC is the ideal partner for Americhem’s next phase of growth and, importantly, the PPC team shares our core values of purpose, collaboration and continuous improvement,” says Rick Juve, chairman of Americhem. “I am thrilled to welcome PPC to the Americhem family and I will continue to support our management team, colleagues and customers from my position on the company’s Board.”

John Richard, CEO at Americhem, adds: “PPC’s investment is a powerful recognition of the strong, growth-oriented business we have built. I am proud to lead our talented team as we innovate new products, serve our customers with excellence and expand our platform in our highly compelling markets. With PPC as our partner, I am confident in our trajectory to accelerate growth, expand R&D and innovation, and enhance our ability to solve our customers’ most complex challenges.”